The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-02-05
and out in motion our state govern

and put i'm motion our state govern
ment we are not rebels; we are but ac-
cepting our office. The term Of the
former ;ncumbents has expired. We
qualify and take the office. VIII the
present incumbents attempt to hold
over? We do not know it. We have not
given them an opportunity to retire.
Upon the most conservative theory we
have not reached the frontier Of our
rights. IF we stop where we are the
disappointed people will let the state
government drop into its deserved
grave. They will not next November
in any numbers repeat the mockery OF
electing do-nOthing state-playing leg
isiature and executive officers.
We are not yet in position to ask 1.-The
great heart of the American nation"
to which you feelngly refer to be deeply
moved in our behalf We must first
move. The gods help those who help
themselves. Some of our most conser.
vative lawyers who have all their lives
been study ing precedents, and who, as
the latest opinion as the conclusion OF
the matter. quote the language OF the
supreme coult of the United States in
the Yankton bowteease as if it drove
the last nail into the coffin of our hopes,
and yet, with the courage Of genuine
manhood, they revolt N I'VE prospect
and are declaring that they will yield
their conviction OF what is law to their
conviction of what is right and will not
abandon the people if they do move for
ward. ~%
These men say the Judgement Of the
majority is better than the judgment
of the few and we yield. 1t may be
they are enabled to say this because
their inmost conviction is that there is
somewhere a defect in the reasoning
which leads TO the un5earable conclu-
sion that as psRtter of law the people OF
the territory e practically provincial
dependent ii our colleague in the se1s
ate of tkVnixd States occupies this
position. He, II not see this people
ruined without struggle.
1t requires no courage for men like
our hOnored friend Judge Campbell
and those who look at the matter as he
does to move forward. They believe
this is wholly lawful and that failure
to move is neglect Of duty. But when
thoss who believe the rights of enforc-
ing our rights has been buried as the
result of what has occurred since the
opinion in our favor i'm the Dred Scott
case WAS written, are still ready to
stake, if need be, life, property and
honor before self-government shall per-
ish in the four-sevenths of the area Of
the United States still outside of the
union, weGay well take hope. Lib
erty can not perish while men have the
courage to follow their convictions OF
what is right.
When cur jail doors are opened by
their keepers, men, hungry for liberty.
flock to the outlet, as fish, dying for
want Of air, beneath the ice move to an
opening, and beg to be taken to court
for trial. Men have been so long con-
fined in our jails, denied a trial. that
they are despairing aid, believing that
law is dead in Dakota, are trying to
free themselves. All was quiet in Bea-
die county Jail until December "a,
when the prisoners hearing that there
was no hope for trial-that the judge
had been summoned TO Washington
formed conspiracy to break Jail and
have been loaded down with new indict-
ments for this effort to escape from un-
lawful confinement. Judge Church upon
the bench at Huron last week annOunc-
ed that similar conspiracy to escape
had been formed by the prisoners in
Brown county. He was powerless in
his immense district to lift the load un-
der which he was struggling. Men are
perishing in jail - denied trial.
!: !: !; !: !;
ment were needed. sc people
move you will be Witt IN am not
an officer of the state b FS1ent. or in
the legislature, bnt am private citizen
speaking - know the private citizens
nf Dalrotn fpe1